


Perfect Presents

by FastPacedFreeFall



Category: Young Avengers (Comics)
Genre: Imagine your OTP, M/M, build-a-bear is involved, cute dorks dorking everything up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-06
Updated: 2016-11-06
Packaged: 2018-08-29 09:32:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8484259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FastPacedFreeFall/pseuds/FastPacedFreeFall
Summary: Simple, separate trips to the mall for anniversary gifts get surprisingly emotional.





	

**Author's Note:**

> From a prompt on imagineyourotp: "Imagine your OTP going into Build-A-Bear and making bears that look like each other." I also nicked the mention of Teddy loving Transformers from DangerousCommieSubversive. Cheers to you and your good ideas.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

Not for the first time, Billy wishes he'd just continued his habit of ordering everything in the world he needs online. Paypal exists for a reason, dammit.

Something about this in particular, though, makes his stupid, sentimental heart feel like not doing it in person cheapens the gesture, or lessens the love it's meant to convey. Billy is nothing if not devoted to making sure that Teddy is aware of how much he loves him, so he sucks in a deep breath and does his best to block out the screeching of the six-year-old in line in front of him who's decided that the dress she picked out is the worst, _wrongest_ shade of blue and its very existence on this earth is a tragedy of national proportion. Tries to ignore the woman behind him who is not as quiet or subtle as she thinks she is about whispering how old he is for something like this to her friend.

Focuses on the soft, furry wing between his fingers, and how it's light-years different to the leathery real thing.

He hops, spins, and sings for the amused employee, whispering the cheesiest, sappiest, most sincere wish for their future together to the little cloth heart before handing it over to be stitched inside. He names it, pays sixty bucks at the front, and walks out giddily clutching the house-shaped box, already counting down the days until he can see the look on Teddy's face when he opens it up.

**

All those years of hyper-vigilance about others' opinion of him, and equal care put into faking that he doesn't notice such things, is coming back to bite Teddy in the ass right now.

Because usually, he _doesn't_ care what other people think when they see him; since leaving Greg, since loving someone as open and defiant as Billy, since realizing how petty his self consciousness seems in the face of an entire world of people who need defense, he's gotten so much better at shoving that little voice that offers up very detailed ideas on how people around him perceive him in a tight little box tucked in a corner. He can't, however, seem to block out the group of teen girls huddled near the naming station that are giggling, and he bites down on his cheek to shut up the insistent thought that they're laughing at him. Same goes for that middle-aged mom that's shot him strange looks since he walked into the store.

He could've just got it online, dished out a little more for two-day delivery, but he vetoed the idea as soon as it came to him. This is too personal, too important to just order off the website. He's uncomfortable, but not enough to get out of line and slink back home to his laptop.

Teddy's not the magical one in this relationship, but he's always had the notion that physically picking out a gift seals a kind of bond. So he focuses on his breathing, goes through the stuffing ritual as instructed, and picks up a wand on his way to checkout and fully ignores that it'll add ten dollars to the bill.

**

“Do you want to go first, or should I? Or should we go together?”

Teddy snickers. “You first. I don't want you combusting before you can even open it.” Billy's been keyed up all day, and he looks like he's seconds from literally bouncing out of his skin. If he didn't know it was from excitement, Teddy would excuse himself to the kitchen to hide the coffee till tomorrow morning.

Billy isn't too hyper to turn and give him a look. “Comedy gold right there, Tee, but I think you're confusing me for Tommy. Far be it from me to refuse a request, though.” Billy's grin turns into something shyer, and he looks away. “Besides, if we do it together, I won't see your reaction. And I've been waiting to.”

Every now and again, Billy trots out this ridiculous, amazing ability to throw Teddy's brain for a loop, set butterflies loose through his whole body. Make Teddy fall a little bit further in love with him, if that's even something that's possible. He almost wants to push the gifts away and take advantage of the empty Kaplan apartment, and the very comfortable couch beneath them. It's not a chance they get often.

Instead, he swallows down the urge and passes over his gift. “Happy anniversary, Bee.”

Billy barely holds back an excited squeak, slipping Teddy a quick kiss as he takes the box. Teddy watches him carefully pull away the galaxy print wrapping, and blink in surprise at the Build-A-Bear printed box.

“No way. You didn't.”

“I...didn't what?” Teddy's not exactly sure what the problem is here; Billy's not shy about how much he loves plushies (although he will move them to the closet if he knows Tommy's coming for a visit, solely to avoid giving his brother ammunition). Billy, however, is ignoring him in favor of pulling out his present and staring at it. It's a very cute representation of Wiccan, if Teddy does say so himself. A deep blue bear dotted with white stars, draped in a red cape from the Thor costume set with a star-pointed wand strapped to its arm that Teddy just couldn't pass up.

Billy keeps staring, nonplussed. “This...this is supposed to be me?”

“As close as I could get,” Teddy says, wriggling next to him with rising discomfort. “I worked with what I could find. I just figured, since it's cute and you're cute, and I know that you love plushies even if you hide them from Tommy so he won't tease you, so I thought...okay, now you've lost me, what is so _funny_?”

Billy is hunched over, struggling to draw breath between manic fits of giggling, and Teddy is trying to sort out whether he's more confused or indignant when Billy shakes his head and hands Teddy an equally large box to his, wrapped in Transformers-themed paper.

“Just,” Billy gasps out. “Just open yours. You'll get it.”

“Will I,” Teddy says sarcastically, starting to smile despite the pout he's trying to keep up.

“Witch's honor.”

He opens his up, and bursts out laughing. He gets it.

“It's official; we're the perfect pair of dorks. The biggest dorks in New York City.” He lovingly looks over the dragon as he says it. It's a brighter green than his, but the wingspan is actually pretty impressive for the toy's size. It's awesome, as are the silver knights helmet and sword strapped to a front foot. Everything about it is ridiculously twee, and Teddy loves it.

“I can live with that,” Billy says, sidling up to Teddy while he clutches his new bear to his chest. “Though, you should be aware that I'm now heavily tempted to steal him back from you. You know, for those days when Mom's on the warpath about us sleeping in separate beds.”

“I suppose I can be talked into a custody agreement, as long as it goes both ways,” Teddy replies loftily, tucking Billy under his arm.

Such things, however, can be tabled for a later time. There's still an entire afternoon alone to be had, and a couch to put to good use.

**

They do end up stealing each others' plush back, and Tommy does end up finding out about the whole thing. He doesn't bother saying a word, just throws his hands up at the snickering pair in resigned disgust.


End file.
